Supervised Work Experience

The supervised work experience requirement ensures that applicants for Registered membership are receiving quality work experience that will shape and build their skills as a future interior designer.

The Importance of Supervised Work Experience

An ARIDO Intern wishing to become a Registered member must obtain the required amount of supervised work experience in order to qualify to write the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examinations.

Supervised work experience is important to Intern members for various reasons. Obtaining the right type of technical experience will prepare an Intern member to write the NCIDQ examinations, and it is also important for the future practice of young professionals looking to become interior designers.

The right type of technical experience combined with supervision by a qualified individual ensures that interns obtain knowledge, experience and proficiency in the latest interior design principles and practices in a range of settings. Only through the prescribed combination of specialized education and technical experience can an Intern member be fully prepared to write the NCIDQ examination and to competently practice interior design.

What qualifies as supervised work experience?

Upon graduating from a recognized interior design program, individuals must obtain a prescribed amount of supervised work experience. A certain percentage of this work experience must be supervised by one of the following :

an ARIDO Registered member

a licensed architect who provides interior design services

an NCIDQ certificate holder

All qualified hours under the supervision of one of the above are counted at 100% in value. Any work experience under supervisory relationships outside the above will result in hours being accrued at lower values. How much qualified work experience is needed depends on a number of factors, including education and type of qualified work experience received.

To identify the amount of qualified work experience required for those who meet the above education standards and time-lines, please refer to the ARIDO Membership Requirements chart outlining the current education, experience and examination requirements.

Click here to download a copy of the supervised work experience reporting form.

How do I report my supervised work experience?

In order to be eligible to write the NCIDQ examinations, you must fully meet the requirement of supervised work experience.

Reporting your supervised work experience requires that you track all experience you accumulate that qualifies for supervised work experience. This will require that you keep track of your hours during the years that you are accumulating your supervised work experience. If, during this period of time, you have obtained the total amount of required work experience through different jobs under the supervision of different individuals, you will need to separately report and obtain sign off for each of those jobs.

For example, if over the course of three years you have obtained work experience through two separate jobs with two separate firms you will need to report the hours accumulated separately. This will mean obtaining signatures from the two supervisors to whom you reported directly.

Once you have obtained the required amount of supervised work experience, you must ensure that your reporting is complete and that you have sign off from all direct supervisors. Your reporting can be completed by filling in the supervised work experience reporting form as follows :

Ensure that you complete all parts of Section I of the reporting form before giving the form to the person verifying your experience.

Have your current or former employer complete Section II.

All work experience verification forms must have the original signature of the verifier on the form.

All sealed envelopes should also contain the signature of the person verifying your work experience over the seal on the back of the envelope.

Develop and present final design recommendations.

Once completed, you can submit the reporting form(s) to NCIDQ along with your NCIDQ Exam Candidate Application.

It is important to note that NCIDQ will only accept original, signed and sealed forms.

Incomplete forms will be considered invalid and will not be reviewed. Forms received unsealed will be considered invalid and will not be reviewed.

Inquiry

For more information or questions regarding the supervised work experience requirement, please contact membership@arido.ca.